Schedule for February 4, 2012 (all times ET)
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6:00am
They live on identical shorelines along the South African Coast. They feed off the same sardine run. Yet the seemingly parallel worlds of two Cape Gannet colonies are anything but. On the East Coast, the birds enjoy a bumper crop season, while in the west, commercial fishing decimates the run of sardines, turning an island of starving animals into a sinister free-for-all. Witness one colony's famine and one's feast, highlighted by the gannet's thrilling hunting style, diving into oceans at breakneck speeds, turning its blue seas white.
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7:00am
Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick has had remarkable success mending animals no other vet can heal. But even with his revolutionary techniques, there are some animals even he cannot cure. Join the Bionic Vet and his staff as they tend to a puppy whose leg is broken in over 20 places after being trampled by a horse. The bones are in tiny pieces, but it's the microscopic bacteria from the horse's hooves that are the biggest concern. Also visiting is Lottie, a cat with a fixed pelvis, who's about to take her first (reluctant) dip into the center's hydrotherapy pool.
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7:30am
The Bionic Vet: Breezy & Jolly
An emergency patient rolls into the referral center at 1:00 AM. Fortunately, Dr. Fitzpatrick is there. The admitted workaholic is virtually always on duty and hasn't seen his home in days. His first patient is thought to have a broken back, and although it turns out to be less serious than originally feared, another emergency is right on its heels. Jolly, a 7-month-old puppy suffers from a painful bone deformity and is in need of care. The Bionic Vet puts all of his surgical and engineering skills into the operation, all the while battling intense fatigue.
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8:00am
We go behind the scenes and into the minds of artists as they capture, commemorate, and, at times, condemn our presidents. From Elaine de Kooning's abstract portraits of John F. Kennedy to Pat Oliphant's skewering caricatures of the Bushes, we examine the divisive results that occur when art and politics collide.
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9:00am
Born Fighting: Preachers and Warriors
Senator James Webb traces the early battles and evolving personality quirks of a group in Scotland that, centuries later, would help forge the American spirit. After decades resisting Roman invasions, tens of thousands of Scots fled to Northern Ireland, part of a British plan to settle land taken from the Irish. Ulster Plantation would be no paradise, but the ferocious battles with the English and native Irish would create in the Ulster Scots a skill set and psychology uniquely designed for the frontier. They would harden them for the voyage ahead, to a new land with a new promise, America.
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10:00am
Born Fighting: Shaping America
Senator James Webb goes on a personal journey to trace the story of the Scots-Irish, from their exodus to the New World in the 1700s to their massive cultural and political influence on America today. See how their warrior ways helped the United States win the Revolutionary War and how their wanderlust opened up the frontiers. The tenacity that carried them through Civil War defeat and economic devastation, and the music, drinks, and prayers they carried with them became the lifeblood of America.
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11:00am
Mystery Files: Lawrence of Arabia
The 1962 film "Lawrence of Arabia" won seven Oscars, including one for Best Picture. Its subject, English soldier T.E. Lawrence, was just as celebrated in real life, seen by many as a military genius and a romantic war hero. Yet some believe he is one of the greatest liars of the 20th Century. Join historians and battlefield archaeologists as they uncover unique evidence from newly found, top-secret documents and a cutting-edge archaeological investigation. For the first time in nearly a century, the debate over T.E. Lawrence can finally be resolved.
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11:30am
He defied U.S. authorities and led his Lakota tribe to a stunning victory over the U.S. Army at The Battle of Little Bighorn. Or did he? Legend portrays Sitting Bull as a mastermind, the Napoleon of American Indians, but evidence shows he was not the war chief at Little Bighorn. He never even entered the battle. Join historians and excavators as they examine the details of this brutal massacre. By revisiting the battlefield and discovering clues in oral history secretly passed down through generations, they'll finally reveal Sitting Bull's true story.
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12:00pm
It is considered a wonder of the world, and one of the most popular tourist attractions on Earth, but few realize that the Taj Mahal was built as a monument to eternal love. This is the story of Shah Jahan, ruler of India's mighty Mogul Empire, and his queen, Mumtaz Mahal, and of a love too perfect to survive. The Queen's tragic death moved Jahan to construct a shrine worthy of her name, but with this iconic structure, he would ultimately pay a terrible price to complete his life's work.
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1:00pm
Canadian Coast Guard Ship Amundsen is a state-of-the-art research icebreaker. With 12 world-class labs, a multibeam echo-sounder to map the ocean floor, and a moon-pool to launch an ROV under the arctic ice, she's a battle tested workhorse. Yet this mission will push her to the brink as she transports 24 scientists on a dangerous expedition into the treacherous Northwest Passage. Out in the cold water, deadly weather, rogue icebergs, and battered equipment threaten to put this mission into deep-freeze.
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2:00pm
Mussolini in Color: Sword of Fascism
Benito Mussolini's rise to power from revered activist to fascist dictator was swift. Along the way, the Pope praised him and Winston Churchill deemed him a "Roman Genius." Before the world knew it, he had taken complete and total power over Italy. The question became: What would he do with this power? The answer would shake the world. Witness the untold story of Mussolini's early years, presented in color for the first time.
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3:00pm
The ancient world was filled with innumerable gods, but what happened to these forgotten entities; where have the old gods gone? The rise and fall of the following ancient civilizations are highlighted: Egyptians, Greeks, Celts, Romans, Maya, and Inca. Journey through faith and time in this enlightening series.
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4:30pm
Tomb Detectives: Vampire Graves
Excavations of abandoned cemeteries in Griswold, Connecticut, and in Prague reveal a number of burials showing signs of decapitation and bone rearrangement. Archaeologists investigate, suspecting connections to a folkloric belief in vampires.
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5:00pm
They are studied in school and visited by millions. They are world-renowned symbols of our nation. But they are also shrouded in misinformation, mystery, and mythology. How much do we really know about America's greatest monuments? From war memorials, to monuments honoring America's founding fathers, to Arlington's eternal flame, these soaring tributes in stone, steel, soil, and sky have amazing stories to tell. They are a permanent record of our nation's history and our evolution into the world's greatest democracy-a country of the people.
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6:00pm
The cheetah excels at acceleration, gathering speeds of over 60 MPH in just a few strides. It runs down high-speed prey faster than any mammal on Earth, but its quickness comes at a cost. For one mother raising three cubs, the stakes are especially high. Her lack of stamina results in many failed attempts to capture prey, and as a single parent, hunting means leaving her cubs unattended and vulnerable to other predators of the Serengeti. The race for survival is on. The cheetah has the speed, but does she have the endurance to make it?
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7:00pm
America Wild and Wacky: Frog Beauty Pageant
Take a trip from the extreme north to the Deep South as we search for America's wackiest celebrations. From the world's largest bullfrog festival and street performer exhibit, to the nation's premier arm wrestling competition and Alaskan frontier festival, this is American partying at its wildest.
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8:00pm
Nevada is known as a Wild West state that's still a little wild, but there's much more to this ancient desert land than the City of Sin. This aerial tour highlights Nevada's vital role in the shaping of America, from the mines and ghost towns of its gold and silver rush, to its icon of American ingenuity: the Hoover Dam. Discover the highs and lows of Nevada's history, and the booms and busts that have defined it as the land of big builders and bigger dreamers.
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9:00pm
Seizing Justice: The Greensboro 4
In February of 1960, a simple coffee order at America's favorite five-and-dime store sparked a series of events that would help put an end to segregation in the United States. Join us as we detail the extraordinary story of otherwise ordinary young men, four African-American college students whose nonviolent sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter started a revolution.
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10:00pm
The people who help run the world's most famous home are anonymous to the public, but the presidents know their names. From the devoted doormen to the butlers, plumbers, chefs, housekeepers, engineers, and florists, we meet the dedicated individuals who serve president after president inside one of the most powerful houses in the world.
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11:00pm
Nevada is known as a Wild West state that's still a little wild, but there's much more to this ancient desert land than the City of Sin. This aerial tour highlights Nevada's vital role in the shaping of America, from the mines and ghost towns of its gold and silver rush, to its icon of American ingenuity: the Hoover Dam. Discover the highs and lows of Nevada's history, and the booms and busts that have defined it as the land of big builders and bigger dreamers.
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12:00am
Seizing Justice: The Greensboro 4
In February of 1960, a simple coffee order at America's favorite five-and-dime store sparked a series of events that would help put an end to segregation in the United States. Join us as we detail the extraordinary story of otherwise ordinary young men, four African-American college students whose nonviolent sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter started a revolution.
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1:00am
The people who help run the world's most famous home are anonymous to the public, but the presidents know their names. From the devoted doormen to the butlers, plumbers, chefs, housekeepers, engineers, and florists, we meet the dedicated individuals who serve president after president inside one of the most powerful houses in the world.
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2:00am
America Wild and Wacky: Frog Beauty Pageant
Take a trip from the extreme north to the Deep South as we search for America's wackiest celebrations. From the world's largest bullfrog festival and street performer exhibit, to the nation's premier arm wrestling competition and Alaskan frontier festival, this is American partying at its wildest.
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3:00am
The ancient world was filled with innumerable gods, but what happened to these forgotten entities; where have the old gods gone? The rise and fall of the following ancient civilizations are highlighted: Egyptians, Greeks, Celts, Romans, Maya, and Inca. Journey through faith and time in this enlightening series.
-
4:30am
Tomb Detectives: Vampire Graves
Excavations of abandoned cemeteries in Griswold, Connecticut, and in Prague reveal a number of burials showing signs of decapitation and bone rearrangement. Archaeologists investigate, suspecting connections to a folkloric belief in vampires.
-
5:00am
The cheetah excels at acceleration, gathering speeds of over 60 MPH in just a few strides. It runs down high-speed prey faster than any mammal on Earth, but its quickness comes at a cost. For one mother raising three cubs, the stakes are especially high. Her lack of stamina results in many failed attempts to capture prey, and as a single parent, hunting means leaving her cubs unattended and vulnerable to other predators of the Serengeti. The race for survival is on. The cheetah has the speed, but does she have the endurance to make it?